Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

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SA_SA_SA
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Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by SA_SA_SA »

Why did the Uk persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

I remember the disappointing tinkle of a suspension of hot drink and broken glass at lunch time* from glass flasks in the 70s and 80s... steel ones didn't seem common knowledge to me, the all plastic ones were rubbish....

Were there high tariffs on imports of Stanley flasks?

*I am a clumsy person, for hillwalking I gave up and brought my Trangia even on day walks.
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Carlton green
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Carlton green »

SA_SA_SA wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 12:31pm Why did the Uk persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

I remember the disappointing tinkle of a suspension of hot drink and broken glass at lunch time* from glass flasks in the 70s and 80s... steel ones didn't seem common knowledge to me, the all plastic ones were rubbish....

Were there high tariffs on imports of Stanley flasks?

*I am a clumsy person, for hillwalking I gave up and brought my Trangia even on day walks.
I don’t know the answer but these days I use a steel flask and can’t envisage ever breaking it. The glass inner flasks could be cleaned better (IMHO) but, though I broke very few, they were fragile. As far as I know glass vacuum flasks are no longer available - if they were available together with replacement inners then I’d be happy enough to carefully use one for some activities.
Last edited by Carlton green on 7 Dec 2022, 2:49pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Psamathe »

Were those available in 1915 any good?

Couple of years ago I purchased a couple of Sigg stainless vacuum(?) flasks (or bottles that keep hot drinks hot - no idea if vacuum is involved). Before purchasing them I assumed they wouldn't be particularly effective but probably OK for taking coffee on a few hrs ride/walk. But they are excellent, real surprise. And the walls are pretty thin as well. Well impressed.

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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Airsporter1st »

I haven’t checked, but I have a feeling that the glass ones were more thermally efficient.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by simonineaston »

America is much bigger.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by TrevA »

After having a couple of accidents with glass Thermos flasks, I bought my first metal one in 1980. It was quite expensive as I remember, being an American trademarked Thermos. I’ve still got it, though I’ve lost the cup that came with it. I’ve never bought another glass one.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Airsporter1st wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 3:11pm I haven’t checked, but I have a feeling that the glass ones were more thermally efficient.
This would be my assumption, as glass is less conductive than steel. But assumptions are often wrong.

Perhaps Stanley (or someone) had patented the steel design? Or maybe because glass was cheaper than steel?
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Nearholmer »

Or, maybe nobody in Britain had the tooling to make steel ones, or access to cheap stainless steel.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Mick F »

They didn't have polystyrene in 1915.

Glass ones used a vacuum.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by SA_SA_SA »

Even if the Uk couldn't make their own (why not other /than due to patents) an enterprising person could have imported them?

MickF the original stanley steel vacuum flasks used a vacuum too.
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Mike Sales
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Mike Sales »

I tried the stainless steel flasks now available on the British market, but they failed in their first duty of keeping my char hot. I went back to glass vacuum flasks, and so have to take great care with them, but at least my cuppa is hot.
Did I buy the wrong steel flasks? If so, which are the right ones?
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Tangled Metal »

I had a glass flask for school. I got to my mum's place of work and sat in the car. Since I had some coffee left and the glass vacuum flask kept it warm all day. First warning sign read the coffee was stone cold. Second sign was that I couldn't remember putting sugar in it and final sign was why hadn't the sugar dissolved. It was then that I realised what had happened and spat it out. Fortunately I hadn't swallowed any of it.

Steel flasks are not very reliable ìme. I've had cheap, expensive best buy in hiking magazines and personal recommendations. They have almost all cooled a little too n quickly. Except the last lifesystems one.
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Psamathe »

Mike Sales wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 5:45pm I tried the stainless steel flasks now available on the British market, but they failed in their first duty of keeping my char hot. I went back to glass vacuum flasks, and so have to take great care with them, but at least my cuppa is hot.
Did I buy the wrong steel flasks? If so, which are the right ones?
I've found the Sigg ones excellent to the point of coffee being too hot ...

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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I have two which work very well, one is Berghaus branded, the other from Go Outdoors. I used to have one from Wilko but it was no good at all (even as a simple container it wasn't much good, as the lid leaked).
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Re: Why did the UK persevere with glass vacuum flasks for so long when stanley steel ones existed since 1915.

Post by Jules59 »

Mike Sales wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 5:45pm I tried the stainless steel flasks now available on the British market, but they failed in their first duty of keeping my char hot. I went back to glass vacuum flasks, and so have to take great care with them, but at least my cuppa is hot.
Did I buy the wrong steel flasks? If so, which are the right ones?
I have two Thermos stainless flasks - they work fine. According to the website they use a vacuum.
https://thermos.co.uk/shop/flasks
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